Soldiers must be strong and adaptable to withstand and quickly recover from challenges when they are called upon to accomplish their mission. In short, they must be resilient. Service members, civilians and family members had the opportunity to strengthen their mission-critical resilience skills at the 10th Comprehensive Fitness Day on August 5.

Classes with varying titles, from “Resilient Minds on the Front Lines” to “Reiki” and “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” to “Budgeting Like a Boss,” offered students a wide range of options that promoted a balanced approach to fitness that addressed the four pillars of resilience: mental, physical, social and spiritual. In total, 70 classes and 120 sessions were offered.

The Integrated Prevention and Resilience Office is responsible for planning and coordinating CF Day. Susan Franco, IPRO prevention coordinator, explained that in determining which courses will be offered each year, they try to address the concerns of the Joint Base population and potentially place a greater emphasis on one of the four pillars of resilience.

“This year we wanted to look at protective factors,” Franco said. “We know that when someone is connected to their community, they are more likely to ask for help, so we wanted to make sure the social pillar played a big role this year.”

The idea of ​​comprehensive fitness is not new. In 2014, the U.S. Air Force released an official directive that guided installations in conducting what was then called Comprehensive Airman Fitness Day. “Airman” was dropped from the name several years ago to make the day more inclusive for a joint base and to build community connection with a “win as one” approach.

U.S. Air Force Colonel Anthony L. Smith, commander of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and commander of the air base’s 87th Squadron, knows the importance of bringing a holistic perspective that includes multiple components to promote overall health, well-being and optimal performance.

“Comprehensive fitness is an essential part of training a fit, resilient and prepared force,” said Smith. “The 10th anniversary of Comprehensive Fitness Day underscores our shared commitment to providing the resiliency-building training and activities essential to maintaining our readiness and competitive advantage in warfighting.”

One such offering on CF Day was “Resilient Minds on the Front Lines,” which trained students to “remember, reframe and rewire” their thought processes to make themselves more resilient. A complementary “Spouse Resilience Workshop” was also offered to help students navigate the stressful job of being a soldier’s spouse.

The workshops were led by trainers Diana and Michael Pellegrino, who founded their organization, Resilient Minds on the Front Lines, during the pandemic to help first responders suffering from mental health issues. Michael, a former chief resilience officer for the Mercer County District Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, and Diana, who has a career in marketing and advertising, assembled a team of subject matter experts who teach resilience practices across the United States and Canada.

“The principles of Resilient Minds apply equally to all ranks, ages and professional experience,” said Diana. “These concepts are proven to increase job satisfaction, engagement and focus, which leads to greater sense of purpose – and directly counteracts depression, isolation, self and family destruction, addiction and ultimately suicide.”

Franco explained that anyone can become a resilience coach and is encouraged to do so. After completing the Resilience Coach Assistant Course, coaches can then teach courses in their squadrons and the First Term Enlisted Course and continue to spread the word about resilience. The next RTAC will be held Oct. 28-31 at the IPRO office in the McGuire Fitness Center. To register, email: [email protected] or call (609) 754-5718.